A Merry Little Christmas (The Way It Should Have Ended)
by vintagefan415
Summary: It's basically a continuation of the Season 9 Christmas episode, "A Merry Little Christmas" or at least how I think it should have ended.


So this is how I feel the JAG episode A Merry Little Christmas should have ended…

After the court session and Mattie being sent to foster care and not being able to stay with Harm, Mac talked some since into Maddie's dad and he agreed to go to treatment for his alcoholism and Mattie could stay with Harm and he could be her guardian.

Harm is at the wall like he is every Christmas Eve and Mattie comes up to him and says that he is her guardian with the help of Mac, she comes up behind her a little ways and tells him what she did.

"Thank you." Harm says to Mac

"Seeing you happy is all that matters." Mac says and she starts to leave…

"Where are you going?" Harm asked (This might be his chance to actually spend some time with her away from work…)

"I have plans with Webb. Merry Christmas."

Harm didn't care, he needed Mac to know how grateful he was that Mattie could stay with him.

"I thought the three of us could have dinner to celebrate that I am Mattie's guardian and since you had a part in that, I want you to BE a part of it." Harm emphasized

I have plans with Webb, but he'll probably stand me up anyway, he always ends up cancelling and I'll end up spending Christmas alone, _oh to hell with it_ , she thought. "Yes, I'll have dinner with you."

Harm didn't expect her to say yes, but his face showed his happiness. "I know just the place," he said proudly as they all walked back to the car.

When they arrived at the familiar place, Mac was puzzled. "Of all the places we could have dinner, you choose JAG headquarters?"

"I know it seems kind of weird since we work here all the time and we would rather be anywhere else than here, but think about it, we have had some pretty amazing moments here, some not so great too, but this is our livelihood and I thought what better place for Mattie to see, than where we work?"

"I've been here before Harm", Mattie replied unenthusiastically.

"Yes, but you haven't been to the meeting room and that is where Mac and I have had many fights, but also worked together as a team to make sure justice is served."

As Harm opened the door, Mac gasped, he had a small Christmas dinner set up on the table, with Ham for Mac and Mattie and Vegetable Lasagna for himself. As well as mashed potatoes, corn and dressing. Drinks were there as well, with wine for the adults and some lemonade for Mattie.

"You planned this, didn't you? You were hoping that I would say yes."

"I hoped you would, but I didn't know for sure."

"When did you have the time to plan all this? I mean you just found out about Mattie being able to stay with you at the Wall. When did you set this all up?"

"I actually set this up before I went to church for the service. Even if I hadn't been able to keep Mattie right away, I wanted to have dinner with you. After what you did in court, I had to do something to apologize for how I behaved before."

Mac was so touched, she couldn't believe that he went to all this trouble. "It's what friends do. I did it because I know the kind of man you are and you will be a great father. Even if I was pissed that you came to me the way you did, I've know you for years Harm. Did you really think I wouldn't be there for you with something as important as this?"

"I didn't think you cared anymore. I mean back there in Paraguay, it seemed like you had all but moved on from there ever being an "Us."

"I was frustrated and disappointed when I said that. Mainly because I just wanted to hear you say why you came to rescue me and when you said "You know why." It really irritated me. I know that you're a man of action, but Harm, it would be nice once in a while, if you could say how you felt instead of just showing it."

With Mac and Harm finally talking about the possibility of being together, they had completely forgotten about Mattie even being there.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry Mattie. We were so wrapped up in conversation and that I didn't realize we had another person to focus on. I'm happy you're here, I just had planned this in advance and meant for it to be a time to finally talk about our issues, but you should be included in that if you're going to be a part of the family eventually. " 

"Oh, it's okay. I can give you two some alone time. God knows, it's very much needed with how things have been between you two lately."

"How does Mattie know about how things have been between us?" Mac asked puzzled

"Ummm, I might have mentioned that I love you…" Harm said nervously

"You what? Were you ever planning on saying that to me?" Mac asked, anger starting to set in.

"Well, yeah, but it's never been easy for us, has it? Mattie asked me about you and she said that she and Coates had been talking and that Jen said that I love you, and so Mattie asked if I did and I said yes."

"Well, it seems that everyone else knew how we felt, but us."

"I think we knew, we just were either too stubborn or too scared to actually say it out loud."

"There have always been things that get in the way; work, women, finding your father…"

"Well, I wanted to tell you a lot sooner, but then you were with Webb and again, I didn't want to stand in your way." Harm replied, looking away

"Harm, if you had said something sooner, we would even be in this mess? I always said that I loved the men I was with: Dalton, Mic, Webb…but really, I was only with them because you said you weren't ready. I was waiting for you."

Harm was surprised by that, he thought that she was doing it to show that she didn't want to be with him.

"Well you have a funny way of showing it." Harm said with humor in his voice

"Harm, you know that I have issues with being alone. I don't always make the best choices when it comes to the men that I date, but you're the only man that has truly been there for me, no matter what and I think in some way, I was returning the favor when I vouched for you in court yesterday. I was showing how much your friendship means to me, how much you mean to me…"

He thought he heard wrong, was she actually saying what he thought she was saying?

"Mac, are you saying what I think you're saying?" Harm asked, a silver of hope in his voice.

"I'm saying that we have things we need to work through, but maybe this can be a step in the right direction."

"Well, I can't say no to that." Harm replied happily

"Now, let's go and have some of this amazing food that you cooked up. I'm starved!"

"Oh now you're hungry. It's because of the ham isn't it?"

"Well, you know me, I can't resist a good hunk of meat."

"Don't I know it." Harm winked

It was so nice to have to feel like friends again. Yes, they had a lot to talk about, but right now, Harm just wanted to enjoy this moment with the two most important people in the world to him.

"Merry Christmas Harm."

"Merry Christmas Mac"

And as they sat there as a little family, Mac realized that she wasn't going to be alone again, and that this was the start of many special Christmases to come.


End file.
